Liberatory Rest: California Poppy Plant Profile

California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is a beautiful flower growing in the hot and dry areas of the Golden State, covering hillsides in their orangey-yellow glow. An ally of the restless and a provider of deep sleep, I’ve come to know them best living up in the northern part of California where they freely grow on hillsides, front yards, and sidewalk cracks.

In many ways, California Poppy reminds me of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis) which shows up in unexpected places, often in very low quality soil, and thrives. While Dandelion is known for its gifts as a digestive bitter, California Poppy works in many ways as a sleep bitter, helping us to process the stress of the day, release it, and move on into a state of rest and relaxation.

Ready to learn more? Come this way…

image via @megaanmarie

California Poppy
(Eschscholzia californica)

Common + Folk Names : Flame flower, gold poppy, copa de oro, dormidera

Tarot Cards : The Moon, The Hanged One, The Star, 4 of Swords (find out more about the connections between the tarot and herbalism)

Element : Air, Water

Zodiac Signs : Pisces (Guardian & Remedy), Gemini (Remedy), Aquarius (Remedy)

Planet : Sun, Moon, Mercury

Moon Phase : All Phases

Parts Used : Aboveground parts.

Habitat : Native to southwestern United States.

Growing conditions : Full sun in poor, well-drained soil.

Collection :  In spring and summer when in flower.

Flavor : Bitter

Temperature : Cool

Moisture : Dry

Tissue State : Heat, Tension (learn more about traditional western herbalism energetics)

Constituents : Flavonoids, alkaloids, carotenoids, volatile oil.

Actions : Analgesic, anodyne, anxiolytic, antispasmodic, febrifuge, hypnotic, nervine, sedative, soporific, uterine stimulant.

Main Uses : A beautiful wildflower that covers hillsides throughout the Golden State, California Poppy has long use as an herb of relaxation, nervous system restoration, and sleep for both adults and children. If you're looking for an herb to help reset disruptive sleep patterns but have found other herbs like Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) or Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) leaving you too drowsy, California Poppy might be a good ally to work with. I find it to be less sedating but just as relaxing as the other two herbs mentioned which can be useful for folks who are more sensitive to the effects of herbal medicine.

The plant can be used internally as a tea or tincture, but it also makes a lovely compress when it comes to supporting sleep. After taking the tincture, use an herbal compress (with a few drops of tincture added to it if you like) along the spine before bed to help calm the nervous system and bring on sleep (make it extra special by listening to calming music, combining with breathwork, and/or being read to). Of course, if you're struggling with a chronic pattern of disruptive sleep it's important to reach out beyond herbal medicine and seek additional modalities like therapy and/or bodywork to help you invite healthy sleep patterns back into your life again.

One of the ways that California Poppy helps us to get a good night's sleep is that it helps to bring energy down from the head to our roots, calm racing thoughts, and reduce pain that can come with restlessness. California Poppy is a nervous system restorative and when combined with other herbs like Milky Oat (Avena sativa) it can be used in low doses on a daily basis to help recover from burnout or a period of intense stress. Consider combining with herbs like Vervain (Verbena officinalis, hastata) if there is excess tension and a tendency to overwork or Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) if there is excess anxiety and racing thoughts. Combine with Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) if heart palpitations are also present. Can be used in small doses for children who struggle with hyperactivity and restlessness, especially at bedtime.

The flower helps to reduce pain not only as a nervous system restorative but as a cooling anti-inflammatory. Useful in cases of arthritis, shingles, hypertension, menstrual cramps, tension headaches, and toothache. Use internally as well as externally as a compress or in baths. Traditionally used by the ʔívil̃uqaletem in small doses for cases of colic in infants.

With children, California Poppy can be useful for restlessness and insomnia as well as bedwetting or enuresis. One of the indications for California Poppy for enuresis in children is "nervousness" but I think a more modern term would be dysregulation - there is a restless and dysregulated nervous system which can lead to poor sleep, bedwetting, and so on. California Poppy can be useful in the treatment of ADHD in the young but I highly recommend working with a skilled practitioner to help you formulate the right blend as sedating herbs like California Poppy can sometimes feel more disrupting than useful.

Topically, the herb can be used for inflamed conditions of the skin from acne to eczema. Use as a wash or in herbal baths or steams. The flowers can be made into an herbal oil and used in the scalp to calm irritated skin and help promote hair growth especially when stress is causing hair loss. Combine the tincture with St. Joan's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) herbal oil for a topical treatment for nerve pain.

image via @theeastlondonphotographer

Magickal Uses : Use California Poppy to help you achieve a magickal flow state for ritual, divination, and more. Especially useful when combined with Rose (Rosa spp.). Use in charms for bringing good dreams, psychic vision, and in trancework. A good addition to Moon spells of all kinds.

The California Poppy Personality : One of the ways of understanding the California Poppy personality is to compare it to Vervain (Verbena officinalis) folk. There is a tension present in both types of folk leading to a rigidness of opinion and belief. With Vervain folk this rigidness can be tied to more acceptable forms of tension (i.e. workaholism) whereas with California Poppy folks the tension is more often about the restrictiveness of the radical. They often start of as restless spiritual seekers, perhaps suffering from the insomnia of the soul, but find themselves becoming rigid in their spiritual seeking, often attaching to one form of practice, devotion, teacher, and/or school of thought which requires extremes in behavior. Their seeking is externalized (i.e. the wisdom I seek is out there in someone or something other than me) and working with California Poppy can help them to relax into their own internal wisdom, reconnect with their intuition, and rest deeply in the process. Herbalist Anne McIntyre describes California Poppy's effect as helping folks to "develop a more solid inner life" and I've found this to be true.

One of the costs of extreme devotion to outside forces is disconnecting from one's gut feeling of when boundaries are being violated or beliefs have become nonsensical to the point of harm. California Poppy acts as a restorative to the spiritual nervous system, calling home the intuition, releasing folks from the ceaseless wakefulness harmful belief systems (and the media systems that keep us hyperconnected) to come home to a restful ease of the soul at home with itself.

Contraindications : Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Contraindicated in glaucoma.

Drug interactions : Do not take if on MAOIs.

Dosage : Standard dosage.

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If you would like an easy to access, downloadable, and printable version of this and all of my plant profiles you can find it in The Plant Ally Library.

For the month of November I’m hosting a fundraiser for BIPOC herbal education. If you love my writing and would like to support a great cause at the same time, please donate if you can.

I hope you get to meet and work with the lovely remedy that is California Poppy one day or deepen your relationship with them if you’re already acquainted. What are some of your favorite flower remedies?

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤ Thank you, friends. ❤

Daring Bravely: Tarot and Tea for Leo Season

Welcome to Leo Season!

This is my latest post on tarot practices and herbal allies for the twelve seasons of the zodiac and you can learn more about the whole series here.

The season of the Lion begins as summer slowly softens into the start of harvest season, where autumn still feels a long way off but we also know that summer's show is soon to end. In the southern hemisphere, the season of Leo is about the warming of the year as winter recedes and the promise of spring begins to come onto the stage. If Cancer is a season of (re)collecting and memory (whether under the bright exposure of a summer sun or within the long shadows of a winter night), the season of Leo is about learning how to fully express what has been found and has been defined as important, sacred, and necessary in our lives.

Leo is a fixed Fire sign which means that it intensely embodies the energy of a season. In other words, Leo helps us realize that we're here so how are we going to show up? Leo is one of those signs that often gets a less than flattering reputation but since all of us have all of the signs in our charts, I hope that we can expand the narrative of the Lion beyond dismissing its energy as needlessly dramatic. (1) Whether we're in the depths of summer in the northern hemisphere or winter in the southern hemisphere, Leo Season is a time to explore what has been dismissed (by ourselves and/or others) in our lives, what we've hidden away because we're afraid of shining too brightly, and what it's time to reveal.

Leo can ask us to do some brave (and scary) things like stand up for what we believe in, disrupt dangerous and harmful narratives, rewrite stories that no longer serve us, and help to create a stage in which more stories can be told. Leo energy helps us to recognize that everyone is putting on a performance of some sort and we're all in the process of performing from a place of greater authenticity and desire - so it's time to face what we're afraid of being seen as and have others see in us. When we learn how to work with Leo energy we learn how to thrive in our self-expression, help create and hold space for others to thrive as well, and learn how to perform from places of authenticity.

Daring Bravely
Leo Season Tarot Spread

The guardian planet Leo is the Sun which defines how much energy we're comfortable holding and expressing. In other words, through the Sun we understand our capacity for doing and being in the world, what our limitations are, and where our energetic sweet spot lies. For Leo, the world's a stage, and understanding our Sun is to know where we are inherently most comfortable on that stage: Are we in the center performing a monologue? Behind the scenes styling props? Working with the audience or performers themselves? Writing the script? Doing building maintenance? Even though we have a solar sweet spot, throughout life we're not always where we want to be and it takes communication, honesty, and bravery to move about the stage to where we feel most at home. Leo energy helps us to define what it is we want to be guided by (i.e. writing a script that works for us, decorating our stage with props that support us, finding castmates we love and who love us) and grow our the expansive power of our hearts with that knowledge. But all that growing and heart-opening stuff can be scary.

Leo asks us "What are you afraid to express?"

Since there can be so much smoke and mirrors within a performance, it's important to know what is real and truthful, including what is you and what is someone's else's expectation of you. Leo is a skilled sorter of shadows and helps us to understand what truth we need to express about ourselves and when it's time to remove our masks. The following spread helps us to seek out our bravery through understanding our fear while at the same time reaching out to find our strengths.

Card 1. That Which Set the Stage

This card is an overview of the part of how supportive your life feels for being able to perform your story (i.e. show up in your life in the ways you are called to move through the world). Refer back to the Gemini Season spread if you need more insight on telling your story. You can choose to read this card as a general overview of your life's landscape or focusing on one particular area of your life (i.e. work life, a specific relationship, and so on). 

Card 2. That Which Is Feared

This card highlights the fear that is showing up in your life right now and appears to be an obstacle in your path. It is meant to help you name your fear out loud and see it for what it is instead of avoiding acknowledging it or growing it beyond proportion to reality. Sometimes this card can describe the mask you created for yourself in order to protect yourself from your fear coming to be.

Card 3. That Which Is Brave

This card helps you to recognize the strengths you carry and how acknowledging these strengths is a practice in cultivating bravery. 

Card 4. That Which Opens the Heart

This card suggests a path into heart-opening work, where you can begin to show up as the story you want to tell in the world, living beyond your fear and into your bravery.

Card 5. A Message for Leo Season

A general message, signs to pay attention to, and perhaps next steps to take as we move into Leo season. This card can highlight energy which you might bring more into your life during Leo season so that you are better able to connect with the energetic flow of the next month.

Bonus Card: That Which Guards the Heart

If you feel connected with the philosophy of astroherbology you can pull an additional card to help you understand the current energies of your heart, including physical experiences and energetic ones, what tension or wisdom you might be keeping there. I encourage you to take a somatic approach with this card - when you pull it and see the energy, follow the feelings and sensations that it evokes from your body to understand its meaning. 

image via @corinarainer

A Tea for Leo Season

How do we nourish the energy of Leo? We make beautiful teas with bold colors full of heart-opening herbs. Traditionally, Leo is a sign of the heart, the chest, and the movement of energy throughout the body (click here for a full list of traditional correspondences for Leo). I've chosen Rose (Rosa spp.) to bring a heart-opening energy into our tea and paired it with Hawthorn Berry (Crataegus monogyna) which acts both as a physical and energetic tonic to the heart body. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) brings warmth and opens the chest, expanding energy from the heart outward. Rosemary is also helps to cultivate strength of will and courage in the body. Blended together, these plant allies create a sweet and bold brew ready to support all of your courageous endeavors.

• 4 parts Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)

• 2 parts Hawthorn Berry (Crataegus monogyna)

• ½ part Rose (Rosa spp.)

These proportions are only suggested guidelines, so feel free to play around with them to your liking. As you make your tea, slow down, breathe deep, and infuse the blend with your intentions for the season (or whenever you’re drinking this tea to connect with the energy of Leo). If you’re looking for more breathwork practices to help you connect with the energy of the season, come this way.

image via @kent_pilcher

Seasonal Reflections

What does the land feel like, look like, smell like this season?

What is coming to the surface from within me?

What is receding within me?

What am I feeling grateful for?

What am I grieving for or feeling challenged by?

What am I feeling inspired and where is it calling me to this season?

What am I calling to me?

What am I called to give?

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Want to learn more about the magick and astroherbalism of Leo? I’ve written a full profile on the sign for you to enjoy. You can also check out the rest of my seasons of astrology series.

Though I didn’t include them in this particular Leo tea recipe, Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) is one of my favorite Leo plant allies and heart tonics - I’ve written a full plant profile on them for you to explore. Want to learn more about beloved Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)? I’ve written an exclusive plant profile for my patrons.

And since Leo tends to bring the energy of gatherings and bringing folks together, here are some of my favorite plant allies to support social connections without burnout.

May your Leo season be bright and sweet, full of heart light and brave connectivity.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎

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Footnotes

(1) I feel like Leo, along with Scorpio, gets a lot of hassle as a sign as folks try to frame the Lion as a drama queen and Scorpio as wildly promiscuous. In the overculture, modern astrology is seen as the domain of women and those deemed too effeminate, so these little misogynistic narratives seep in to keep Leo's confidence in check and shame the sexuality of Scorpio (because confident, unashamed womxn and femmes are a threat to the powers that be).

The truth is that all the signs are prone to drama, just in different areas of life, but Leo Sun signs can tend to be more honest and unabashed about their needs and desires in public - which is a big no for womxn and femmes in our culture. Sexuality is a universal experience, too. Scorpio Sun signs are not more or less sexual than any other sign of the zodiac - they just happen to be intense creatures in relationships of all kinds, sexual or not, because they’re more often interested in the diving into the depths than surface matters.

Fortunately, astrology stories are being rewritten and expanded upon in beautiful ways these days, so these misogynistic binds will continue to be undone as kinder cultures emerge. But let's continue to disrupt these stories (and give our Leo and Scorpio stars some breathing room to grow into who they want to be) to strengthen our communities as we dream a new world into being.

Of Holiness + Intensity: Vervain Plant Profile

So here I am sitting with my planner and trying to figure out what it is that I’m going to write about about over the next few months. Things we might-do for the Sabbats? Check. Something about how Mercury is not out to get us? Sounds good. A profile on Vervain (Verbena officinalis)? No, I’ve already written that. Right? Surely I’ve written about Vervain!

Turns out, that no, I have not written about an herb that I spend a lot of time recommending to folks.

I think what happened is that I’ve mentioned Vervain in a number of other posts that led to the development of a Vervain-less void when it comes to an in-depth engagement with this most lovely of plants. So I’ve made up for that with the following deep dive into the world of tension alleviating, self-relating, holy altar blessing Vervain.

image source

Vervain
(Verbena officinalis, hastata)

Common + Folk Names : Enchanter’s plant, herb of enchantment, ironherb, herb of grace, herb of the cross, holy herb, holy wort, Indian hyssop, Juno’s tears, pigeon grass, simpler’s joy, verbena, herb of Venus, ferfain, herba veneris, van van, Tears of Isis
Tarot Cards: The Suit of Swords, Justice, the Hierophant
Element : Earth, Water
Zodiac Signs : Libra, Aquarius, Leo
Planets : Venus, Mercury, Jupiter
Moon Phase : Dark Moon
Parts used : Aerial Parts
Habitat : Found globally. The European variety most commonly used is Verbena officinalis while in North America the native Verbena hastata is more common.
Growing conditions : Prefers moist soil and full to partial sun.
Collection : Summer, just before flowering. Tradition dictates that Vervain should be gathered before dawn during the dog days of summer - roughly July 3 to August 11 - when the star Sirius would be brightest in the eastern sky. Read more about the magickal traditions of gathering Vervain in the “Magickal Uses” section below.
Flavor : Bitter
Temperature : Cold
Moisture : Dry
Tissue State : Tension/Constriction (primary), Heat/Excitation (learn more)
Constituents : Vitamin C, potassium, sulfur, zinc, glycosides, essential oils, mucilage, saponins, tannins, bitters, minerals, iridoids.

Actions : Alterative, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, astringent, antitumor, aphrodisiac, astringent, anxiolytic, bitter, cardiotonic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emetic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, hepatic, galactagogue, nervine, parturient, rubefacient, sedative, stomachic, sudorific, tonic, vasoconstrictor, vermifuge, vulnerary.

Main Uses : In traditional western herbalism, Vervain is an herb with ancient use, considered like Sage (Salvia spp.) to be a panacea for all ills. One of the earliest recorded uses for the herb was as a remedy for swelling and inflammation related to a number of diseases from poisonous bites to ulcers and swelling in the mouth and throat. The Welsh Myddfai physicians recommended Vervain for the treatment of swollen glands and Hildegard recommended Vervain for ulcers and swelling, including swollen and sore throats. She specifically recommended topical use of the herb in the form of poultices wrapped around the neck. Sore throats accompanied by shoulder and neck tension as well as a headache can be indicators to use Vervain alongside other throat soothing herbs like Sage (Salvia officinalis) and Mullein (Verbascum thapsus).

Verbena officinalis - image source

The healing gift of Vervain to reduce swelling and inflammation - which are sometimes derived from states of excess Heat/Excitation - speak to the plant’s cooling abilities. When describing tissue states in traditional western herbalism, Heat doesn’t necessarily mean that something is hot in the temperature sense which is why Excitation is also used to describe the state. One of the indications for Vervain is someone who is often in a state of excitation and movement - these are folks who tend to overwork, rarely sit still, and are driven by an inner intensity. A certain level of tension is required to maintain this level of intensity and drive and instead of stepping back and relaxing after a strenuous push (whether after a work or school project, an athletic pursuit or any other type of project), they maintain a state of tension which can lead to health imbalances. One of the most common signs of this prolonged state of tension is the tension headache and Vervain can be a great remedy.

The ways that I most use Vervain in my practice and life is as a remedy for excess tension with the tension headache, shoulder and neck pain, and type A personality as key indicators. In general, Vervain can be helpful in cases of insomnia, stress, and agitated nervousness. Signs of irritability, oversensitivity, depression can all indicate that Vervain can be a useful ally. It can be a great herb for children who are finicky, irritable, and have trouble sitting still (sitting still in the context of needing to rest and relax, not the inappropriate expectation of sitting still for hours on end in educational settings). Vervain is a lovely and powerful nervine that pairs well with a number of other herbs - I don’t tend to use it solely on its own because I think that one of the lessons of Vervain is learning how to work with others and ask for help. With tension headaches with a lot of mental chatter, I like to combine Vervain with Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora). For recovery after a period of prolonged tension and/or illness including chronic fatigue and postpartum depression (Bartram recommends combining with Matricaria chamomilla), I use Milky Oat (Avena sativa) with Vervain. Where there is lack of pleasure because tension gets in the way, I like to use Vervain with Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) and Rose (Rosa spp.). 

One of the lessons I have learned working with Vervain is that if it is an herb that is useful for folks when it comes to excess tension in their lives, it is often an herb that indicates that a greater life change is required. As a holy herb, Vervain was and is used in rites of cleansing the temple space and as an offering, and I see it acting in people’s lives in much the same way. Something must change (and often it is patterns of overwork) in order for equilibrium to be re-membered. I recommend incorporating Vervain in both its fast and slow methods of preparations - a tincture can be very helpful for relieving acute pain, but also consider using the herb as a poultice or in a bath to invite yourself to slow down. For some folks that Vervain is useful for the idea of slowing down can evoke a lot of fear from within them - consider using the flower essence alongside the herb for extra emotional support.

Verbena hastata - image source

The herb is useful as a digestive tonic helping to relax the digestive process if it is overly tight and tense and not allowing for the proper assimilation of nutrients. Other indications include stomach aches caused by stress. A traditional use for the herb was for expelling stones from the kidney and bladder. It is also clearing and nourishing for the liver. Another way that Vervain brings balance to the body is by acting on the thyroid gland, normalizing the amount of TSH released by the pituitary gland. Use the hot tea at the start of colds to sweat out toxins. Vervain helps to bring on menses and as a menopausal herb it brings it’s cooling qualities to hot flashes. There is also a long history of use of Vervain for convulsions, spasms, and seizures, especially when connected to menstruation. Use as a galactagogue to help bring milk postpartum (avoid if struggling with engorgement).

Vervain has a long history of being used externally as a poultice for reducing swelling, alleviating pain, and helping to open the lungs. Use for other topical complaints such as bruises, hemorrhoids, and eczema. For mouth complaints such as canker sores, sore throat, gum disease and cavities, use as a gargle. 

Magickal Uses : The magickal uses of Vervain is vast because it was (and is) seen as a deeply sacred herb. In ancient Rome, priests of Jupiter as the patron of good faith who were responsible for advising the senate on issues of war and peace as well as declaring both, would wear crowns of Vervain. Their envoys and messengers on matters of war and peace were called verbenarii, carrying sprigs of vervain to negotiate peace. Vervain was used similarly in this way in ancient Persia and by Germanic peoples. Vervain can be used today for diplomats and mediators, social workers and activists trying to negotiate peace and a kinder world.

The altar of Zeus was said to be cleaned by the herb. Within Egyptian myth, the plant was said to have sprung up from the tears of Isis when she wept over the loss of her lover Osiris. The presence of the herb at times of loss and grief shows up again in Christian mythos as an herb used to clean the wounds of Christ after he hung on the cross. The Druids honor Vervain as one of their most sacred herbs, using it to bless sacred space, in rituals of speaking prophecies, in anointing oils, and as an herb of offering. Throughout Europe, it was seen as auspicious to gather Vervain around Midsummer, sometimes specifically on St. John’s day on June 24. Pliny gave specific directions for the gathering of Vervain as dictated by the Magi:

 “... [The Magi] required vervain to be gathered at the rising of the constellation of Sirius the Dog Star, when neither Sun nor Moon was shining. A circle had first to be drawn around the plant with iron, and after gathering, some wax and honey was given back to the Earth in its place.” (1)

However you choose to harvest Vervain, as with all of our plant relations, it should be done in a sacred manner. As an herb of Venus, Vervain can be used in love spells of all varieties. It’s legacy as a Venusian herb lived on in the Victorian language of flowers as it meant “you tempt me.” In addition to love magick, Vervain can be used in protection spells and healing spells of all varieties. Use the herb for fertility of both people and fields - especially when used around the Summer Solstice. Use to help with psychic development.

Verbena hastata - image source

The Vervain Personality : One of the most common ways a Vervain person will be described is having a “Type A” personality - intense, particular, usually very stressed, and prone to states of tension and excitation. Often they place their sense of self-worth outside of themselves. Usually this is found in their work but it can apply to all aspects of life whether child-rearing, homemaking or competitions of any kind. While Vervain folks do not lack motivation, they often lack the ability to slow down and take a break. When suggestions are made for them to slow down it would not be out of character for them to scoff at the idea and even believe that other folks just “don’t get it” - that they have to work this hard and there is no other choice. While Elm (Ulmus procera) is the essence of folks who place their worth within their work, Vervain does this to a degree but often their work is more about creating a sense of order and rightness in their lives. It has to be this way, otherwise what sort of chaos will ensue? The attempt at control can also be an attempt to make up for a lack of self-esteem, but can come off as taking up too much space in their relationships with others. Though is can be difficult to see from the outside, Vervain folks hold a lot of fear within them. One of the ways that Vervain helps us is to bring us back to what is sacred in our lives. It’s less about taking away fear as it is about bringing us home to something bigger than our fear - our hope. It can be helpful to remind Vervain folks that they will feel tired for a little while after taking a break from their break-neck speeds, but that their energy and vitality will return renewed.

Contraindications : Do not use during pregnancy.

Drug interactions : Do not take at the same time with mineral supplements. Avoid with anticoagulants and warfarin.

Dosage : Standard dosage.

This post was chosen by and made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎

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(1) Graeme Tobyn, Alison Dunham, Margaret Whitelegg, The Western Herbal Tradition: 2000 Years of Medicinal Plant Knowledge (Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2011), 329.

Hex to Heal : The Solar Eclipse in Leo

The shape of today's New Moon Healers Project post will be different - for eclipses are times of shapeshifters and changelings. Eclipses are also a time of the bare bones of simplicity when we’re asked for the structure of our magick to be minimal but resonating. 

Here is the basic takeaway of the Leo eclipse energy: 

That mask you’re wearing? Take it off.
The cultural mask that you’ve been told to believe? Stop listening to it’s lies.
The heart crown of self-sovereignty you’ve been afraid to put on? Pick it up, wash it off with the tears of your stuggle and joy, and put it on.

We are being asked to hex in order to heal. In traditional witchcraft a hex is like a harvest. Witch folk know that in order to put bread on the table grain must fall. A hex cuts out that which is no longer needed. But, like a harvest, it should ultimately be healing and nourishing. If you are afraid to hex, to set boundaries, to say NO, to cross your arms and spit in the dirt three times, then you’ll probably be afraid to heal the deep stuff.

Photo by Kristina Flour 

What will you choose to hex in order to heal? Go after the big stuff, Witchen kin:

Hex racism
Hex white supremecy
Hex anti-semitism
Hex Islamaphobia
Hex the patriarchy
Hex misogyny
Hex transphobia
Hex ableism
Hex classism
Hex homophobia
Hex corporations destroying our beloved planet
Hex institutions upholding all of these "-isms" and phobias

Dig down into the little stuff, my magickal folki:

Hex self-hate
Hex internalized cultural lies
Hex microaggressions
Hex your fear of not being enough
Hex your belief that you’re ugly and unworthy
Hex assimilation
Hex the symptoms of trauma that hold you back from living how you want to live
Hex the lies you believe that tell you that your magick is anything less than profound

Hex what you need to hex in order to heal.
In order to live.
In order to love.

Photo by Tyler Lastovich

The Hex to Heal Rite

Begin in a sacred way (read the New Moon in Aquarius post for further inspiration). If you have a large dark, preferably black, piece of fabric have it before you, but it can be visualized if needed. Wrap the fabric around your shoulders and begin to turn slowly widdershins. If this movement cannot be achieved, it can be visualized. As you turn think of or whisper that which you are hexing. While doing this pull the fabric up over your shoulders and over your head. Once you have spoken all of your hexes, hold it up over your head for a moment, still turning. Continuing to turn widdershins, cover your head with the fabric, visualizing that which you have hexed dissolving into darkness. 

Stop and speak:

Hexes dissolve into darkness
Darkness dissolves into darkness
I emerge from the darkness
Hex-free and whole

Begin to spin again deosil, reciting the charm again and again until you are dizzy in its power. Until you fall back to the earth, a star reborn.

I've written about healing tarot and herbal allies for eclipse season if you're looking for more magick and support. 

Wherever eclipse season takes you (because it is just a starting point), may the path open up to healing and peace in your life. Remember, your individual liberation is a work of collective resilience. Work your magick.

P.S. Find all of the New Moon Healers Project posts right over here. Say yes to your magick and join my starry-hearted community of healers here. 

Expressing Truth : The New Moon in Leo

Make yourself an altar
bring beauty all around you

from the winged ones,
iridescent feathers
whorled shells from the sea's edge
crystals who carry
the heartbeat of the earth
flowers culled from
the gardens of the world

light a thousand candles,
watch the dance of their flames
then open your soul wide and
sing praise to all that is good.

- H. Ni Aodagain -

We’ll be having two Leo New Moons this year complete with a solar eclipse coming up in August. I’ll be writing more about the powerful energies of the New Moon and solar eclipse next month, but tonight’s New Moon is a warm up to next month’s eclipse. My natal Moon is in Leo so the energies feel close, personal, and difficult to describe (as so often the influence of our natal Moon are). So here is what I have learned as a Leo Moonfolk, walking with the lion as my lunar ally: when the Moon enters Leo we are asked to examine the ways we perform in the world. In other words, how do you do you? What are the ways that you perform your identities of gender, class, ethnicity, sexuality, ability, and more? How do you perform your insecurities and doubts? How do you perform your confidence and bravery? 

Photo by Sergey Pesterev

Leo is the guardian of the heart which is important to pay attention to especially because this sign can get a really bad rap in horoscopes and astrology books. Too often performance is seen as false, deceptive, and not to be trusted. This, too, has been said of the heart and those who are guided by the rhythm of their own beat as opposed to the personal and cultural expectations and rules of others. I think we degrade the performative aspects of Leo because we are terrified of living a life guided by an open heart instead of a calculating mind. Even worse, we fear accepting that our heart and mind are not separate entities - we simply choose to ignore that our heart is guiding us - thinking as us - far more than many of use would feel comfortable with. Because everyone is performing and nobody passes. And that is how it should be. We should revel in the ability to perform ourselves a thousand ways to a thousand different people. How else do we figure out what it is we want to say and how to say it? How it is we want to live and how to live it?

The New Moon in Leo is a time of measuring the boundaries of our self-expression, of re-examining the script we’ve been given and what we’ve also written, and figuring out how to say what we need to say while still remembering to listen (both to ourself and others). It’s a time of heart-tonics and doing things that invigorate the heart to act on its desires. Where do you want to be more brave in your life? Right now is an auspicious time to figure it out. 

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)
New Moon in Leo Plant Ally

Motherwort is a classic heart tonic in the Traditional Western Herbalism materia medica. Look to its Latin binomial and you’ll get insight into the herb’s qualities for it has been named “Lion Hearted.” Motherwort improves the condition of a weakened or out-of-sync heart including arrhythmia, angina, and a heart muscle that lacks tone. Signs to look for when considering Motherwort are heart palpitations (especially those caused by stress, nervousness or anxiety), shortness of breath, and those who need some “mothering.” The herb reduces high blood pressure, alleviates palpitations and hypertension, and generally strengthens the heart’s tone.

Motherwort is like a hug in a tea cup and is an herb that shifts energy for the better faster than most other herbs I have encountered. It’s a good herb for the New Moon in Leo because it enhances the generous-hearted qualities of Leo while alleviating the stress and tension that can come about with the very humyn need to be loved. 

Magickally, Motherwort can be kept as a charm in the home to bring about peace. Use to connect with the energy and wisdom of the Lion. The herb protects against harmful entities and spirits. I think it is especially useful in helping alleviate hauntings, whether emotional hauntings of the spirit and mind, or unwanted ghosts.

Flower + Gem Essences for the New Moon of Leo: Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), Vine (Vitis vinifera), Illawarra Flame Tree (Brachychiton acerifolius), Vervain (Verbena officinalis), Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis), Willow (Salix vitellina), Gold, Citrine.

Essential Oils of Leo: Bergamot (Citrus bergamia), Orange (Citrus sinensis), Jasmine ( Jasminum grandiflorum), Benzoin (Styrax benzoin), Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)

Photo by David Monje

The Rite of the Hidden Heart

Behind our wants lies our true desire. We want to live in a house with a rooftop garden because we desire to remember that we are a wild and growing thing even in the concrete confines of the city. We want to be in a relationship with our one-true-love because we desire to learn how to love ourselves and sometimes it’s easier to do through another. Behind our heart lies our desire. 

You will need a candle. Red, yellow, and orange are auspicious but any color will do. You will also need a pen and piece of paper. Begin in a sacred way (read the New Moon in Aquarius post for further inspiration).

With your pen and paper write a name poem. A name poem consists of words and phrases that describe you and your true nature as well as your magickal lineage, allies, God/dess/es, and whatever else you might want to put in it. Your name poem is a way of sharing your desire with yourself and others. It is a poem that either in theory or in actual practice, you would share with others as a way of introduction, especially at magickal gatherings. An example might be:

I am Azalea, 
Daughter of the Sun Queen,
Keeper of the Citrine Secret,
Sister of Lions,
King of Drag and Rejector of Binaries.
I seek a world of kindness and justice.
With my words I open hearts,
With my performance I create new possibilities,
With my herbs I find healing.
Blessed be.

When your name poem is written light your candle and turn off all other lights. Standing before your candle take six steps backwards (six is a sacred number of the Sun and adjust the movement for your mobility needs). Spend time in the shadow, the space beyond the light of your heart. What within you desires to emerge?

Take one step forward, towards the candle, and read your name poem silently to yourself. Ask yourself, what within you desires to be seen?

Take another step and whisper your name poem. Ask yourself, what within you desires to be heard?

Take another step and say your name poem a little louder. Ask yourself, what within you desires to be touched?

Take another step and say your name poem at your normal speaking volume. Ask yourself, what within you desires to be known?

Take another step and say your name poem at a volume slightly above your normal speaking volume. Ask yourself, what within you desires to be honored?

Take a final step so that you are right before your candle and say your name poem loudly, with confidence. Ask yourself, what within you desires to be loved?

Hold your hands on either side of the candle, infusing your energy with its fiery light and awakening the fire within. When your hands are warm with fire and energy, press them to the paper with your name poem written on it. You can choose to carry this name poem with you as a sacred talisman to be always seeking your desire.

Oracle

With a divinatory tool of your choosing ask the following question. You can also ponder it during meditation or through journaling.

What part of me desperately wants to be seen?

Additional queries to consider:

• What do I fear those that I serve think of me?
• What part of me feels unloved?

Tarot Cards of Leo

Every card within the tarot deck has an astrological association. The following correspondences follow the system laid out by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. You can add these cards to your altar as part of your New Moon in Cancer magick or use them in readings to help with determining celestial influence or timing (i.e. this will come to pass at when the Moon is in Leo).

• The Sign of Leo : Strength
• Saturn in Leo : 5 of Wands
• Jupiter in Leo : 6 of Wands
• Mars in Leo : 7 of Wands
• The Fire Signs of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius : Ace of Wands

Find all of the New Moon Healers Project posts right over here. Be sure to share your insights and experiences in the comments below or via instagram with the tag #NewMoonHealersProject.

Need more astroherbology in your life? You can learn more about the astroherbology of Cancer by reading my in-depth profile on the sign. Check out the magick of each phase of the Moon. For those of you ready to learn how to live your magick and create your herbal remedies by the cycle of Moon and star, you're invited to join the The Lunar Apothecary.

Blessed New Moon, wise healers.
May your healing be healing to us all.
May our healing be healing to you.
Blessed be! Blessed be! Blessed be!